Month: September 2011

Celtic Folk – various amateur Celtic performers

Celtic Folk holds 4 gatherings a year, and the 2011-2012 year is about to start.  The first night is September 24th.  Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door.  Further details can be found at <a href=”http://www.celticfolkcalgary.ca/”>their website</a>. I was a guest performer at Celtic Folk for their November 2010 gathering.   During the … Continue reading “Celtic Folk – various amateur Celtic performers”

            Celtic Folk holds 4 gatherings a year, and the 2011-2012 year is about to start.  The first night is September 24th.  Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door.  Further details can be found at <a href="http://www.celticfolkcalgary.ca/">their website</a>.

I was a guest performer at Celtic Folk for their November 2010 gathering.   During the 2010-2011 season, they had a large number of soloists and groups performing.  Most groups perform common (within the Celtic community that is) tunes, and you will find the audience singing along with the performers.  For my performance, I intentionally chose tunes I knew to have words, and I wasn’t disappointed as the audience sang along as I piped.  Many of the performers are guitars and vocals, and a few of them could give Great Big Sea and the likes a run for their money.  One night they even had some step dancers perform.

Their house band, who play the first hour of every gathering, is the Sunday Night Band.  They are definitely one of the groups that could challenge GBS, especially live.  Their fiddle player can play the jigs and hornpipes with the best of them, making many a piper envious with the finger control demonstrated.

Hope to see you at their events!

With the competition season done, now what?

<h1>With the competition season done, now what are your plans?</h1> Are you taking your competition results and feedback, and working to improve for next year?  Have you decided to take a bit of a rest before starting working towards next year’s competitions?  Have you sworn off competing and instead going to find a street band … Continue reading “With the competition season done, now what?”

            <h1>With the competition season done, now what are your plans?</h1>

Are you taking your competition results and feedback, and working to improve for next year?  Have you decided to take a bit of a rest before starting working towards next year’s competitions?  Have you sworn off competing and instead going to find a street band to play with?

My last competition

I haven’t competed in several years.  My last piping competition was really to find out if I was really as good as I thought.  While I didn’t place, I didn’t expect too either.  In fact, the comments and feedback I did receive confirmed, in my mind at least, that I had correctly judged my own level.

My Winter Plan

I have a few strings to my bow, as they say.

I plan to work out a new set list, and then practice and record the sets.  First step is to find the wayward Scots Guard  books.

Secondly, I have a number of beginner pipers that I am training.  Instilling the basics and good habits will remain a priority.  Also having them blow pipes, be them my own  or their own is right up there.  I don’t believe you should play the practice chanter for 2 years before seeing a set of pipes.  Lesson four or five is as good a time as any to start blowing drones.

Thirdly, I intend to write some more lessons articles, especially focusing on bagpipe maintenance.  Now that competitions are finished, it is a good time to replace bags, break in new reeds, fix cracks and re-hemp joints.